For a few short days every year, Washington D.C. explodes into bloom with spectacularly gorgeous cherry blossoms. Local experts compete to accurately predict peak bloom windows. Tourists from around the world flock here, hoping to catch the trees on just the right day. It’s a big deal. And last year, I missed it. But I wasn’t about to let that happen again this year.

My friend Laura met me at the Jefferson Memorial around dawn. From there, we strolled around the tidal basin, enjoying the first buds of the season. The weather has been so weird this year – warm, then cold, then warm again – I’ve heard that it’s damaged the trees. But even in it’s diminished beauty, it was pretty gorgeous.

Our fingers froze and we had to brace ourselves against the wind, but it was definitely worth getting up early for. I’ve heard that it becomes a madhouse later in the day, but at 7:30 AM it was just us and a few runners.

DC… you may be a cesspool of moral bankruptcy, but you sure are nice to look at.